Athens rally to mark rapper killing turns violent

Domezio Lambertini |17 Settembre 2017, 02:52

Protesters gather at anniversary of Greek rapper's murder

About 3,000 leftist activists and migrants marched through central Athens Saturday to honor the memory of activist rapper Pavlos Fyssas, murdered by a neo-Nazi sympathizer four years ago, and Heather Heyer, the activist killed by a auto at Charlottesville, Va. last month.

Scuffles broke out between police and a few dozen protesters who broke off from the march and began heading toward the Golden Dawn offices. Blocked by police from reaching the offices, the protesters threw firebombs and police responded with tear gas.

The march was to commemorate rapper Pavlos Fyssas, whose music conveyed anti-fascist messages. He had been killed four years ago by a sympathizer of neo-nazi group golden Dawn. Almost 70 members of the group have gone on trial since 2015. Now under house arrest, he is still awaiting trial.

A second rally to mark Fyssas's death anniversary on September 18 has been called for Monday in the working-class neighbourhood of Keratsini where he was stabbed to death. Another commemorative march is expected to take place in the Athens neighborhood of Keratsini where Fyssas died.